For the love of plants!

We love our Wollongong Botanic Garden and this Sunday 29 May we’re sharing the love by celebrating Botanic Gardens Day a little differently!

While our grounds at the Garden remain waterlogged thanks to the continued heavy rain, we’ve decided to instead show off our amazing annex sites – Mount Keira Summit Park and Puckeys Estate Nature Reserve. The Wollongong Botanic Garden is open, we just encourage visitors to stick to the pathways while the grass dries out.

On Sunday 29 May we’re inviting community members to don their walking shoes (or gumboots) and join us for a walk and talk as we explore our annex sites.

Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said it wasn’t common knowledge that Mount Keira Summit Park and Puckeys Estate Nature Reserve are annex site of the Wollongong Botanic Garden.

“Mount Keira Summit Park and lookout is located at the top of the Illawarra escarpment and is a significant Aboriginal cultural heritage site. From this site, you can enjoy awe-inspiring views of Wollongong as well as explore multiple bushwalking tracks,” Cr Bradbery said.

“Our other annex of the Wollongong Botanic Garden is Puckeys Estate Nature Reserve, located in North Wollongong. It’s a rare coastal habitat that includes rainforest, dunes. Puckeys Reserve is home to around 130 different types of birds as well as several endangered plant species.

“For the historians, Puckeys Estate was used as a salt mill by the late Courtney Puckey in the early 20^th century. Today, historic remains of the salt works and Puckey’s homestead can be found at the southern end of the reserve.”

“Puckeys Estate Reserve is now recognised for its importance as a significant and rare coastal habitat. It’s also a great place to walk around and explore as it boasts 1.5km of boardwalks and informal paths from Fairy Creek Bridge on Squires Way in the south to Elliots Road, Fairy Meadow.”

Botanic Gardens Day is celebrated by more than 100 botanic gardens, arboreta and gardens across Australia and New Zealand! It’s a day to highlight the significant work that happens at gardens to care for plants, educate communities and share a love of nature.

What’s On? – Guided nature walks

Puckeys Conservation Walk

This interpretive walk will highlight the work of Council and Bushcare volunteers in protecting and restoring these endangered plant communities. On this fascinating walk you'll learn about the diverse native species and the threats faced by weeds. The walk will also include a visit to the historic Seafields House located within the reserve.

WHEN: Sunday 29 May, 10am-11.30am or 12noon-1.30pm.

WHERE: Meet at the Fairy Meadow entrance of Puckeys Estate on Elliots Road, Fairy Meadow.

COST: Free! Pre-bookings essential via Eventbrite.

Plants and Wildlife Cultural Walk – Mt Keira

This walk is an opportunity to hear a local Aboriginal perspective of the region and the relationships between people, plants and wildlife from the Dreaming time until today. Come along to learn some of the Aboriginal uses for local plants, the importance of the local wildlife to Aboriginal people and the significance of the landscape culturally.

WHEN: Sunday 29 May, 10am-11am or 12noon-1pm.

WHERE: Meet at the top of the lookout, near Mount Keira Lookout Kiosk. The Mt Keira Summit Park is located on Queen Elizabeth Drive, Mount Keira.

COST: Free! Pre-bookings essential via Eventbrite.